Promise Is A Promise
by SilentWiccan
Summary: Modern AU. Nohr Enterprises Ltd., a prized law firm. Hoshido Publishing Inc., a widely recognized and respected journalism and publishing group. Sometimes they're friends, sometimes enemies, but when a lawsuit rises that could cost Ryoma greatly, he has no choice but to turn to Xander for help when another scandal is launched into the news, and neither brother knows what to do.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I own nothing. Written for my friend Fen. Blame them.**

* * *

"Leo I can't I'm going to be late for work, and you know that I can't miss my meeting today." Xander spoke, grabbing the last few folders from the kitchen table and his travel mug filled to the top (minus two sips) of strong black coffee. "You should've gotten a ride with Elise and Sakura."

Groaning, the blonde-haired teen donned his school uniform of deep blue navy and silver. He was already late for school, so why couldn't Xander be late for his meeting. Maybe Camilla could give him a ride. "But they always leave so early!"

"Then you should've gotten up earlier, gotten ready earlier, and been out the door earlier." The eldest sibling found himself reprimanding, calling up the stairs for Camilla to hurry.

"Camilla can't you—"

"So sorry, little brother. You know I'd love to, but I'm due in court at nine." She responded, grabbing her briefcase and following Xander out the front door and into their car, the two of them pulling away.

Sighing, he grumbled as he grabbed his bag and textbooks, his phone going off to reveal a message from Takumi, a classmate.

 _'Where are you? Class starts in five!'_

"I know, genius…" He groaned, hitting the call button on screen.

 _'Where are you?! She's taking attendance, and you know your bro will freak if you get marked as absent or late again.'_

"No shit, Takumi… Look, it's their own fault. Xander and Camilla took off before even giving me a proper answer, so now I have to get the spare driver out of bed so I can get there. As for me being late, it's Xander's own fucking fault I'm always late. He's always, and I quote, _going to be late for a meeting_ , or some other fucked up excuse." He rants on, sighing as another black car with tinted windows pulls around the front driveway to his family's estate. "Look, I'm getting into the car right now, so I'll be there soon. Let the instructor know for me?"

 _'Yeah yeah, I got you covered. See you soon?'_

"Yeah." Leo finds himself replying, hitting 'end' and shoving the phone back into his pocket before crossing his arms as the vehicle pulls away from his family's home to endure another day of studying.

* * *

Takumi packs his bag, shoving his math textbook on top of biology, heaving a sigh as he pushes a few loose strands of his tawny hair back behind his ears. "Well, at least she didn't take off any points today."

"Yeah…" Leo sighs, staring outside to the school ground below. "I just don't get it. I'm 16, I have more money than half the people in this fucking building, why won't Xander and Camilla just let me drive?"

"Maybe…" Takumi thinks as he trails off, shouldering his bag and he moves to sit on the desk facing Leo, swinging his legs back and forth. "Maybe they're afraid of having what happened to Selena happen to you and Elise. I mean… Look at Hinoka. Ryoma hates that she joined the military, but, I dunno. I know it's not the same thing, but he'd hate to have her go overseas for some operation of something."

Takumi stares at Leo, who still stares outside. Lost in his thoughts, he seems to forget where he is.

"…Leo?" Takumi calls, poking at the blonde's cheek. Bringing him back to reality, Takumi laughs a bit and grabs for Leo's bag, starting for the door. "You know, I could start giving you rides in the morning if you like. That way we can go straight over to my place and start practicing. Corrin's been going on about it for two weeks now since we haven't met up at all."

"That's cool. Should we meet up today then? I don't have anything planned. Is Corrin free?" Leo asked, already knowing she was.

"I'll call her once we get to my place. Let's go."

* * *

"Kagero, please cancel the rest of my meetings for the afternoon." Ryoma rumbled, poking his head out behind the large oak door. Retreating back to the safety and solitude of his executive office at the top of the Hoshido Publishing Group's main office, his long brown hair swung behind him as he fixed his black suit and sighed. "Damn migraines…"

Surprised at the sudden request, Kagero did as asked, and then waltzed inside, telling an intern by the name of Setsuna to hold all calls until she returned. The lights were low, and the window coverings had been lowered.

"Is everything alright?" Kagero asked, watching him lean back in his black leather chair, head hanging off the back of it. "Is it your migraines again? They've been getting worse and worse for the past month… You should go see Dr. Nacht again."

Staring up at the ceiling, he spun around in his chair. "Probably. Do you…mind leaving me be for a bit, love? I need a few hours."

She smiled half-heartedly at him, nodding, hair flying back over her pale shoulders and plum dress. "Sure. And Xander called earlier, about the email you sent him. Do you want me to call him back and tell him to come another day? He had mentioned coming to see you this afternoon."

Craning his neck downward, eyes now level with the ground as his grey eyes met her brown, he cracked a smile. "No, tell him to come. We've got a lot to discuss."

She bowed to him, smiling. Turning away, ready to leave, she paused as he got up and stepped closer to her. Wrapping his arms around her still form, hugging her from behind, he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and rested his head against hers.

"Thank you for worrying."

Giggling to him, she leaned into his embrace for a moment, only moving away once he began to let go. "Of course, love. You need to take better care of yourself, but if you'll excuse me, _sir,_ I've got a phone call to make to Mr. Nohr." She chastised, walking away and out of his office, leaving him there with a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets.

* * *

"Heeeeey! Takumiiiii! Leeeoooooo!" A girl called, running up the stairs behind them as they went to enter the tawny-haired teen's home. "Why didn't you call me sooner? My mom almost didn't let me come…" She mumbled, dejected that her friends hadn't thought to alert her of their meeting.

"You always come anyways. Why does it matter that it was short-notice?" Takumi asked her, earning himself a scowl.

"He's not wrong, Corrin. And it was impromptu anyways."

Crossing her arms, she marched ahead of them, and began making her way through the grand halls of Takumi's home to his basement, where three different guitars sat, only of them Takumi's, the other two his sister Hinoka's for when she was around, Leo's drum set and sticks, alongside Corrin's microphone and mic stand. "I don't care. We haven't gotten together for weeks. I'm ready to rock out, are you guys?" Corrin called back to them, fixing her shoulder-length platinum blonde hair held back by a simple hairband, similar to Leo's. "Let's go, let's go!"

* * *

 **A/N: Hey so. Sorry for all the jumping around. Moreso setting the stage than anything. R+R?**


	2. Chapter 2

"Please go right in, Xander. He's expecting you."

He could hear Kagero speak through the doors of his office. Everything sounded louder than it actually was, and his head wouldn't stop pounding. Sitting back in his chair behind the large desk, his right arms rested over his closed eyes in hopes of blocking out any residual light that tried to seep in.

Hearing the doors creak open and then slide shut, footsteps growing louder and causing the pounding in his head to worsen, he threw his arm down and opened his eyes, glancing to the right to see a tall, handsome blonde standing in front of him, the white suit he donned hurting his eyes.

"White looks tacky on you."

Chuckling as he stood there, dropping his head for a moment before observing the long-haired Asian, the blonde couldn't help but relax and side his pale hands into his pockets. "Good to see you too Ryoma. Kagero whispered to me you've been having those migraines again. Judging by how… shady your office is, I'm going to go ahead and guess that she wasn't joking."

"Does she ever joke?" Ryoma whines, leaning forward with both hands gripping his desk. "Regardless, I'm glad you came."

Clicking his tongue, Xander's eyes went to the window behind the brunette. "She jokes. Mostly only with you. How are the wedding plans coming, anyways? Done yet? The wedding's when, two months from now?"

"Yep. July 19th, 8 weeks. I can't believe it's almost here…"

Cocking his head to the side, Xander smiles to him. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet."

"Nothing like that. I just…" He trails off, carefully contemplating his words. "Just can't believe it's coming up so fast. I mean, I'm 28, we've been together since I was 17. And now, we're finally getting married. Even then, I don't feel excited about it. It feels more like a chore."

"Marriage, a chore? Oh please do tell." Xander japed, laughing when Ryoma scrunched his face up and sneered. "Anyways, you wanted to see me for a reason, and here I am. So what is going on, dear friend?"

He wants to argue, bring up Xander's old girlfriend, but bringing up Selena at something he knew was a just a joke at his expense? He decided against it and instead straightened up in an attempt to make himself look presentable.

"Remember that guys who was released on false conviction two years ago, the sexual assault case we reported for?" Ryoma asked, seeing Xander nod. "Well, he went and talked to a few of my journalists, claiming everything we ever published about it was pure fraud, which it wasn't. We told the facts as the police presented to us, and the statements he made that were captured on film. Everything that ever came out of my company was stated fact. So now the bastard's gone and written a book about how we helped incriminate him, and slandered his _good name_ and now he's trying to sue us for slander and... what's the word? Defamation?" He waves his hands as if to scrap the words. "Not important." He pauses, hands overlapping as he squeezes his them together. "Think you could help me out?"

"He's not seriously pursuing this, is he?" Xander asked, bewildered.

Shaking his head, the head of the publishing firm leans back and closes his eyes. "Far as I know, he is."

"That's hilarious. He wants you to pay damages or something? Put his _good name_ back in action?"

Ryoma shakes his head again before he responds. "I'm not sure. Either way, I'd rather not have to deal with all the crap that this will generate. Can you help me out or not?"

Xander shrugs, leaning back as he rests his hands in his lap. Becoming comfortable, his hazel eyes scan the room once more, noticing a tiny dent in the wall to his right. "I'll talk to Camilla. You know she's capable." He responds, getting up to leave.

"Xander. I asked for you, not your sister."

Before he turns around, the blonde stares at the floor. Then the ceiling. Then the windows past Ryoma. The floor again, and then to the brunette. "I'll think about it. I'll get back to you in a few days. See you."

* * *

"See you guys next week!" Corrin calls back to the boys, waving to them as she climbs into her mother's sedan.

They wave back, smiling wide as they stand side by side and send her off. Sun getting low, Leo looks to the sunset in the west and exhales heavily. It's not a sigh, but it doesn't go unnoticed by Takumi.

"Something wrong?"

Leo crouches down, planting his butt on the steps of the entryway to the tawny-haired bass-player's home. "Just thinking." He answers, shivering briefly before Takumi sits beside him. "It's weird I guess. Corrin seeing my sister, it kind of freaks me out."

"Corrin seeing your sister? What?"

Leo faces him, glancing away, distracted. "I don't know, they're sort of seeing each other? It's weird and freaks me out a bit. I mean, Camilla is 24, and Corrin's 18. It's weird." He rants, crossing his arms over his legs. "Either that or Camilla is just obsessed with her. Beats me. I don't care."

"You can say that all you want, but you obviously _do_ care." Takumi retorts, nudging the blonde in the side. "Hey, did you want to stay for supper, or do you need to get back? Ryoma had Kagero call and apparently he won't be home for a bit since they're going to her place, and Sakura is out with Hana and Elise, so she probably won't be back for a few hours yet."

Leo shrugged. "What about Hinoka?"

"She's working nights for three weeks." Takumi griped, rising up from the steps. "Come on, I'll make whatever you want."

"Last time you cooked for me, you practically poisoned me." Leo complained, rising up and placing his hands on his hips. "If anything, I'll stay, but I'm cooking."

"Fine!" Takumi throws his hands up, a smile growing wide on his face. "Twist my arm some more, why don't you!"

"Shut up…" Leo grumbles, following Takumi back inside. "You dork."

* * *

"Mr. Hoshido, sir. We're ready to leave at once, but I'd like to advise waiting for the security detail!"

Walking side beside with Kagero, his focus is distracted at hearing his name called. "I beg your pardon?"

"Maybe it's just a precaution, I'm sure it's fine, Ryo…" Kagero trails off, staring out the glass front to the firm. "Maybe he's right, Ryoma. Look." She orders him, pointing at the clamor that's gathered outside.

Reporters, journalists, the two of them even recognize a few members of the crowd, all waiting with cameras, pens, pencils, tape recorders ready to capture whatever is said as soon as they leave the structure.

"It's 7 pm. Why are they here?" He questions, eyes glaring daggers as he inhales and exhales deeply, nodding to the team of five security guards who've now arrived. He grabs Kagero's arm and looks her in the eyes. "Either say nothing or say 'no comment,' alright?"

She nods to him, and they proceed to exit the 87-storey building made of metal and glass, though the palace still falls down around them.

* * *

 **A/N: I AM NOT A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL** **and I'm taking these uh… case facts, I guess you can call them, from my Intro to Law for Canadian Business course. It's a poor example, but whatever. Things'll pick up anyways, regardless. Anyways. So this is a thing. Enjoy.**

 **Oh the things you make me do, Fen. You're either laughing at me or screaming at me, I'm sure.**


End file.
